Back in 2014, The Simpsons's 25th annual "Treehouse of Horror" Halloween episode imagined a world where multiple versions of the Simpsons family all ran into one another in Springfield. Among the Minions and Adventure Time references—as well as a nostalgic nod to the original Tracey Ullman Show version of the characters—there was also a clearly anime-influenced pack of invaders.

A well-studied eye will spot nods to Attack on Titan, Naruto, Pokémon, Bleach, One Piece and Hayao Miyazaki's Oscar-winning Spirited Away.